Category Archives: Stitching

One step at a time

Posted on November 23, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

When I started this blog it was to post about who I am – who I REALLY am – and I haven’t exactly done that.

A couple of weeks ago I read a blog that discussed not focusing on the bad and focusing more on the good in yourself. While that is a great concept, I personally feel like not focusing on my “bad” is keeping me from being the person I want to be and taking proper care of M.

I know my definition of “bad” is probably very different from what others define it as. If it makes me feel guilty it’s “bad.” I also know others who don’t live in a “head of household” (HOH) lifestyle won’t understand how I feel, but that’s okay. I put that “take it or leave it” in my header for a reason 😉

Anyway, I’m wanting to adopt a good habit every month that will help me adjust my bad into good. A couple of examples:

I leave dirty dishes in my sink every day. Sometimes for two or more days. It’s just M and I and while during the week we may only each use a few dishes each day, they’re still put in the sink, and then multiply…because I hate unloading the dishwasher! It bothers me to see those dirty dishes, but there they sit! The “bad” in this scenario is my unloading the dishwasher. I need to adjust that attitude because several of the houses that M and I are looking at have a very open floor plan and I don’t want to feel embarrassed about having company because I have two days of dishes in my sink.

Another example is my failure to follow through on certain things. Again, may be small, like offering to provide photos here and then never getting around to doing it. I used to be really good about following through but somehow over the past couple of years I’ve lost that good habit. The “bad” in this scenario is my not making notes to remind myself of little things that need to be done (I have no problem remembering the ‘big’ things).

Other things include procrastination, budgeting, decluttering, exercise, menu planning, etc., some of which overlap, and things that might not be important to anyone but me, or more importantly, M.

So I plan on posting what “good” I’m trying to create and my progress.

In other news. I pulled my shaker box back out and will photograph it this weekend. It looks very much like the one that’s in the link from my last post – only darker in color. I also made myself a note 😉 to post my small ‘sampler wall’ I’ve started in my bedroom, and the finished and framed Home of a Needleworker Too that M hung up in my hallway this past weekend. I guess while I’ve got the camera out I should also post a progress picture of my needlepoint design that features the stiletto and purse.

M and I will be spending Thanksgiving with Mickey and Minnie again this year and eating lunch at the Blue Bayou and having turkey and dressing that evening at Brennan’s. Black Friday will find us attending a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert – so no Thanksgiving cooking for me this year. I’m very sad about that since I love to cook. Here’s hoping for lots of stitching time this coming weekend.

M also turned in his retirement paperwork yesterday. Now we wait. He’s not expecting to hear anything back until some time next month. If it’s accepted we will begin a one year countdown. I need to get busy!

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Posted in Life, Stitching

Shaker box treasure

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

A couple of weeks ago Kahuna came by work and took me to lunch. We walked over to a little sidewalk cafe that has the best ‘handmade’ milkshakes in 25 miles. He likes their hamburgers….a lot 🙂

Anyway, we’ve walked past this antique ‘mall’ several times in the past 2 years and I always say I’m going to stop in there. That day I did, and man-oh-man am I glad I did! It was full of eye-candy and I enjoyed wandering around in there, especially when I came across a beautiful oval shaker box, which included the lid!

Considering how overpriced everything was in there I don’t know why I bothered looking for the pricetag, but I’m glad I did. It was marked $18 in one spot and $12 in another. When I took it to the counter the girl told me it was $9. As I was grabbing the receipt (yep I whipped out my wallet that fast 😉 ) I told her I would probably have paid $40 for it.

So, here’s the deal. I know there are a lot of quaker shaker box designs out there. In fact, I saw this morning that Dames of the Needle has a new release today. While they’re a fave designer of mine and it’s a lovely design it just doesn’t grab me. I’m hoping some of my readers will share links/design names with me of other shaker box designs that might work.

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Posted in Stitching

Bloglines, again.

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

Thank you all so much with your suggestions. I’m probably going to go ahead and go with Google, but I do have a couple more questions.

In Bloglines, I have several posts saved. When I transfer over to use Google, will I lose those saved posts?

I see you can set up folders in Google. Am I going to have to go through every blog and reset them to folders or will the folders I already have them set up in transfer over?

I have done very little stitching lately and really need to get my fanny in gear. I’m almost finished with the stitching portion of my October class project. In fact, I could probably get it done in a couple of hours. I’m having M.A.J.O.R. tension problems with my sewing machine that I need to get fixed so I can finish out the class project. I’m starting to panic since I leave in 2 weeks!

The rest of this year is going to be very busy for us.

Kahuna has his last race of this season on October 3. We’ll be headed for new ink, probably the very next day. He’s requested I add something to an existing tattoo, and of course, for him, anything.

My class is the weekend of October 10. MCBall is November 12. Thanksgiving, then Christmas. During all this time I have an increased work load (new duties at work), Kahuna is supposed to be turning in his paperwork for retirement (November 11) and times generally flies by between now and the end of the year year, anyway. I need my stitching!

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Posted in Life, Stitching

Organizing, Mystery Sampler, and Destashing

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

I spent the better part of 3 hours in my stash room yesterday. I completely emptied 2 copy paper sized boxes of school stuff and threw away (gasp!) almost every single one of my almost complete collection of BH&G CS&CC magazines. It was liberating. To me and the space in my room. I went from this:

To this:

I also found my very first cross stitch project. I’m going to frame it between 2 pieces of glass so you can see the front and the back (boy have I come a looooong way in 32 years of cross stitch!). I still have not found the elusive Peace rose project. I have the pattern and the fibers, just can’t find the darn stitching! I cannot for the life of me imagine where it is, but I refuse to give up hope that it’s forever lost…just yet. That stack on the floor to the left of the two roller bins is all my finished projects that have never been framed or finished out.

As I said, I didn’t throw away all of my magazines. I kept some that had early releases from some of my favorite designers. I’m thinking of gutting those issues and putting the designs I want into a binder. There are a couple of issues that I have more than one of. One of them contains a Shepherd’s Bush design and I’ll put it on my 4Sale page later.

The other one contains a sampler I’ve always admired and back when I first got the magazine was intimited by. I’ve seen it stitched but cannot remember where. I cannot find anywhere in the magazine who the designer is and am hoping someone who reads my blog will know. I do see it was ‘signed’ by Ruth Lowe, but I don’t recognize that name:

I updated my 4Sale page (see tab up top). I’ve added a few new things and reduced the prices on everything that was already listed. I will be adding more bits at a time.

It’s almost lunch time, so I’m off to prepare something for Kahuna and I and then I plan on spending the rest of the afternoon watching Heros and stitching on FAS.

Ciao!

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Posted in 4Sale, FAS, Stitching

Little bit of everything.

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

I have a happy dance! I finished Home of a Needleworker, Too this past Saturday during my monthly stitch-together. I also started pulling fibers for my new needlepoint project, but I’m not starting it until the current needlepoint piece is finished. I think I have 4 more squares to do.

Instead of working said needlepoint piece I pulled out FAS and started stitching on it again. It’s a little sad since I’m stitching where I can see Bandit’s name, but I’m looking for a place to add Jasper in. Harley already has her spot. I’m almost half way finished with it! I’m thinking of continuing on with it until I’m at that point — with a break to stitch up my class piece.

I’m avoiding The Queen!

Thanks for laughing with me over my stitching stand. I actually have it sitting in my way in my room and put my needlepoint piece in it to see how it would feel using it. I also have been given (to try out) the Needlework System 4 stand. The person who has lent it to me is wanting to sell it to me and I’m thinking of going ahead and buying it. I have looked everywhere for other components to the Grip-It with no luck. I know it’s no longer being made, but I was hoping to find it on eBay. If I do buy the NS4 I can buy other components for it. Thinking, thinking, thinking.

I’ve pulled fabric for the needlepin cushion for the October class. I’ll probably cut and serge it this weekend and start stitching on it so I can get back to FAS. I purchased this particular Loose Feathers design from Drema as a fully kitted piece and the fabric is really dark! I remember in the instruction something about fading the fabric out, but I’ve decided to stitching my design on a piece of Lambswool. The instructions also call for filling it with ground walnut shells and if anyone out there knows….is there a chance they can stain the piece? This thought it is the back of my head since I know walnuts were/are used for dying fabrics.

HarleyQuinn came to work with me this morning and charmed everyone. She had a follow up appointment for her teeth extraction and it was easier to bring her with me so I could get a little work done, than staying at home all morning and driving her back and forth. Jasper was not pleased at staying behind.

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Posted in FAS, Loose Feathers, Puppies

Confession of a stash-aholic

Posted on July 30, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

I have a Grip-It stand.

I’ve had this Grip-It stand for close to 10 years.

Kahuna pulled it out a couple of nights ago and asked me what was wrong with it.

Ummmm, I don’t know, I’ve never used it.

Why not?

I forgot I had it.

😳

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Posted in Stitching

Would you like a little 'catchup?'

Posted on July 29, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

Kahuna’s tooth is bothering him less. In fact, I can’t remember when he last had to take a Vicodan to sleep. He had a triathlon last weekend and other than his knee killing him the next day he did okay with it. I think he’s coming to the realization that 30+ years of running is bound to give you arthritis and if he wants to continue to pound the pavement he’s going to have to just SIUBc. He’s on vacation this week (we cannot get our weeks off coordinated!) so he’s out surfing with his buds this morning.

HarleyQuinn had her annual dental work done on Tuesday. For those that know our history you’ll know this was a very stressful and worrisome day for Kahuna and I. She came through okay, but you can tell she’s in some pain and now she’s on puppy Vicodan. She followed Kahuna around the house all day long yesterday wanting to be picked up. Poor princess 🙁

It’s been hit or miss with stitching this week. I have gotten more on Home of a Needleworker, Too, done. I’ve finished all the way across the top half of the design (including the house but not the “of a” or scissor and thread) and am now stitching my way back toward the left. I think I finished off “ker” a couple of nights ago. We’ve been preoccupied and I haven’t been able to sit long enough to stitch as much as I want. Tonight is a stay at home night for us so I’ll be stitching.

This weekend is 5th Saturday stitchin at Needlepoints, Ltd. I normally don’t go on 5th Saturday since the regular get together is the next week, but I’m going to do my best to start attending the extra days so I can work more on my new needlepoint project.

I have made a small unplanned “stitching” purchase since I last posted, but it was one of those things that the minute I saw it I knew it was perfect for someone. It arrived in the mail yesterday but I was so busy last night I didn’t even get a chance to open it.

I also won a giveaway for a biscornu kit. As soon as it arrives I’ll post a reveal and a public shout-out to the person hostessing the giveaway.

I’m in the process of gathering up some things for my own giveaway. 😀

Our manslaughter trial took a surprising turn and we settled it last week. Now we’re in full swing getting ready for a traumatic brain injury case. I think the outcome of this issue will pretty much determine Boss’s decision regarding his retiring or not.

I made a final decision on my stitching roadtrip I wanted to take this year. I’m headed back to Mesa, AZ to take a class at The Attic on October 10th. Melissa is going with me! Fun, fun, FUN! I’m sure margarita’s will be involved….or something similar 🙂 Who knows! There might even be stitching.

Wow, this post is all over the place, but that’s how random minds work sometimes! 😆

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Posted in Puppies, Stitching, Work

Don't make eye contact!

Posted on July 19, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

It’s so nice to have a do-nothing sort of weekend. By that I mean one that doesn’t have any set plans and we can just go with the flow.

Kahuna had a root canal a week or so ago and he’s been dealing with the pain of it. He’s still taking Vicodan in the evenings so he can sleep. This is so not like him that it tells me how much it’s bothering him. He missed surfing weekend before last because of his tooth. This past weekend though he did get out there and got his mojo going. He’s such a happy camper when he surfs. I cannot imagine how hard it’s going to be for him to not live so close to the ocean when he retires. He has already made plans to come back and surf every now and then though since we’ll only be a 6 or so hour drive away.

Since we didn’t have anywhere special we had to be this weekend I never left the house on Saturday. I didn’t even put on makeup or dry my hair! I did catch up on some laundry and reading.

Sunday, after surfing, we headed out to do some errands and make a furniture store stop. We’ve been loosely monitoring room sizes in the houses we’ve been looking at online trying to decide what size furniture will work. Right now all we really need to purchase after we move is new bedroom furniture for us. We’re going king size (the puppies take up so much room!) and want to make sure the house we choose has an appropriately sized bedroom. So, we headed out to look at furniture. What a shock! It’s all so large. It was fun daydreaming about what the two of us want though. I think I could wander in furniture stores, and house shop, for a living! I don’t know why but I enjoy it so much.

Since we hit the Old Spaghetti Factory for lunch we decided to have fruit for supper since lunch was so filling and it was too warm to cook at the house. This left me with lots of stitching time and I happily caught up on my DVR while stitching on Home of a Needleworker, Too, – until I discovered I was one stitch off and had to rip out almost half of what I got stitched. Drats!

The peeps at work gave me a gift certificate to Needlepoints, Ltd., for my birthday so I’m looking forward to my next trip to spend it on the new canvas I purchased. Between that and the filled in ‘frequent shopper’ card I have I am hoping to make a huge dent in the fibers I want for it. Other than that, my new stitching acquisition mantra is “Don’t make eye contact.” I’m still trying to come up with a plan since I need to get a stand too.

The post previous to this one I mentioned needing to thin out my stash and now it’s pretty much a real have-to since there’s a chance our office may be closed before we move to Arizona. I really don’t want to take with me stuff I don’t love anymore, including stitchy type stuff.

We’re in trial this week on a manslaughter case so it’s nice and quiet around the office. Thank goodness since gearing up for it is crazy! I’m already almost caught up for the day. If the office stays open I think the rest of the year is going to be pretty much spent in this hurry up and go mindset since we have so many trials that have been continued from late last year and earlier this year. If the office does close I could go with Atty F to her new job, but I’m thinking I might not want to do that since it would entail my commuting again. I’m really going to need my stitching to ratchet down the stress between now and Christmas or now and when the office closes or now and when I move

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Posted in Life, Stitching, Work

Since I last wrote…

Posted on July 14, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

Oh my stars! I can’t believe it’s been 3+ months since I last blogged. I have meant, so many times, to sit and write about what’s been going on in my life, not because it’s earthshattering news, but because I wanted to remember it! 🙂

But so much has happened and I have a horrible memory! What I can remember since I last blogged:

I’ve had the Shingles. Boy was that fun. NOT!

We had our road trip to Mesa, AZ! We were headed there on May 21st, but, thankyouverymuch Marine Corps, Kahuna could not get off work. Then were headed there on June 18th but one of Kahuna’s friends died in a surfing accident and the memorial service was scheduled for June 20th (which was also Father’s Day and our 29th anniversary). We ended up going June 25th and it was a very lovely trip. I loved Mesa! We’re planning on returning in the fall for some more searching. We mostly looked from Mesa to the south and if it had been 9 months in the future we would have made at least 2 offers! Next trip we’ll be looking to the north of Mesa.

Came back from vacation for 1 day and had to take the rest of the week off because I got sick!

I entered 2 stitching pieces in our county fair and got blue ribbons on them both! Woohoo me! It has been a huge boon to my stitching mojo and I find myself getting frustrated when something keeps me from stitching. Yay!

Kahuna and I have started working out to the P90X program. It is kicking my @.S.S.! I actually have a love/hate relationship with it. I hate to lose the time it takes to do the program, but love that it’s actually kind of fun. It’s definitely challenging! I hate that I hurt so badly in almost every joint/muscle I own because it shows me how out of shape I am (I used to do step aerobics 6 days a week!) but I also love that I hurt because it’s reminding me that I am doing something about being so out of shape and I’m trying to keep reminding myself that next time it will be easier and hurt less if I don’t stop. I plan on taking my photo once a week to see the progress. I STILL haven’t heard from the hospital about the surgery and I’m upset with myself for waiting almost 6 months and not doing anything except the bare minimum they required. If nothing else comes of the surgery prep at least I know I am healthy since they put me through so many medical tests to get approval for the surgery.

I have attended a couple of stitching days with the group at Needlepoints, Ltd. I love getting together with those women. I can’t exactly brag that I get lots of stitching done but believe me when I leave there my soul has been regenerated. The bad thing is I’ve sort of picked up a new hobby…I’m being sucked into the needlepoint dark side.

I currently own 4 projects. Number 1 is quite old from a class I was unable to attend about a hundred years ago for a weight. I really need to get that sucker stitched up since I’m going to need it for the project I purchased this past weekend. Believe me when you follow this link, those that really know me will understand when I say project Number 4 is SO me 🙂

The 2^nd piece I own I actually have had for a long time. I got it from Annette when she finished her project but was intimidated by it whenever I looked at it. Now that I’m actually working with a needlepoint instructor, I’m looking forward to stitching it.

Project Number 3 I’m actually actively stitching on right now. It’s a beginner piece by Margaret Bendig (the above mentioned instructor) and I’m enjoying learning reading the charting and stitches.

This new piece is being slipped into my weekly rotation. I did NOT finish the Queen for the fair (I just couldn’t stomach forcing myself to stitch on one project so quit stitching altogether). I really REALLY missed my rotation. Between working out 6 nights a week for 1-1 ½ hours and trying to keep us eating healthy, I don’t know how much stitching time I’m going to be getting on the week nights, but I’m trying.

As to stash acquisition. Oh boy, have I acquisitioned! Most of it has been Carriage House Designs. But I’ve also shopped for my birthday, plus have some things coming from Mesa from my trip to The Attic. I am going to have to ratchet it down though and go back to stitching from my stash, except for purching what I need for my aforementioned canvas project. Wish I could figure out a way to JUST SAY ‘NO.’

Since I last wrote I’ve also received a blogging award. Thank you so much Christina. There are so many blogs I enjoy reading. Please don’t make me list them though, since this post is going to be long enough as it is. Suffice it to say that I read stitching and non-stitching blogs everyday and am inspired in all walks of my life by you all.

Finally, Kahuna put in an extension to take his current enlistment to March 2011. In November 2010 he is putting in for retirement and is going to put January 2012 as his requested retirement date. I don’t entirely understand how it works but supposedly he is allowed to say when he wants to retire, even if it takes him past his current enlistment. January 1982 is when he entered boot camp so he’s going to request January 2012 as his retirement date to take him to 30 years. Man. 30 years. Who could have guessed! Anyway he is actively saying things like “when we live in Arizona,” etc. and we took a tour of the university while we were there since he will be attending college for the first 4 or so years after he retires. If things go the way *we* want them to he will be taking terminal leave November 1, 2011, and we’ll be headed to retirement land.

Which leads me back to stitching! 😀

I need to thin out my stash. My tastes have changed so much over the past 35 years. I plan on posting some to my blog, then put it on eBay, but if it doesn’t sell, what do I do with it then? I don’t want to throw it away. Any suggestions?

And while I’m asking for suggestions — I went through a lot of my WIPs/UFOs during my vacation/sick time off and organized them a bit more. I actually only have a couple that don’t hold my *love* anymore — believe me I have no problem tossing them in the trash 😉 — but really don’t want to just in case my interest in them returns. What do you do to re-peak your interest in a WIP/UFO?

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Posted in Puppies, Stitching, Weight

I need a roadtrip!

Posted on April 6, 2010 by Terri | Comments Off

In getting back into the stitching *life* I would like to attend a stitching retreat at the end of this year. With the demise of CATS I don’t even know what’s out there anymore.

I would like to attend a retreat – long weekend style maybe? – that will allow me to visit and stitch – maybe purchase an item or two – but not necessarily *make* something to bring home. Does that even exist out there?

Kahuna and I are still talking about our roadtrip next month. Most likely it will be the weekend of May 22 since that will give him time to compete in a couple more races, and time off before the next couple and I won’t have to worry about being around for trial prep for my attorney. We’re headed to Arizona 😀

I have 3 framed items to share and will take pictures of them this week.